iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

16. Manifold Garden: youtu.be/JvF--OpDMjE I like spatial reasoning puzzles, and this, like Antichamber, likes to mess with the space in spatial reasoning. I don't think I'll do the no-cubes route for now, but maybe I'll come back to it sometime. Rotating gravity is sometimes good for perspective. 😆

youtu.be

House of Leaves

YouTube video by Laryssa Okada - Topic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

15. Iron Nest: Heavy Turret Simulator: youtu.be/35hAxxPml2E It's really satisfying to triangulate with precision, to hit your targets. While the math is not quite real-to-life, it's good enough for fun. Could use a touch more polish, but looking forward to future updates & improvements!

youtu.be

IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator | Official Launch Trailer

YouTube video by IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

14. Star Wars: The Old Republic: youtu.be/F5MoBb8-75E (Base story, Bounty Hunter) A good old-school MMO romp, and I'm interested in finishing the companion storylines down the road (old Bioware!). Some neat ideas with "Legacy", but maybe a touch too much on monetization.

youtu.be

The Mandalorian Blockade - The Music of STAR WARS: The Old Republic

YouTube video by swtheoldrepublic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

13. Dragon Ruins: youtu.be/UzdH4jW7NNA Very short, only about 2 hours. Which is satisfying enough for reusing those dungeon-crawler mental muscles, really. The character art by Torio (toriotto?) is the most atmospheric part, and it was a great fit to use. I should play more bite-sized games.

youtu.be

Ruins II

YouTube video by Surt R. - Topic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

12. Dispatch: youtu.be/ZVhJ-r1R89Y Hmm, been a while since I played a new game. This was a fun journey! I kind of miss the "branching narrative"-focused games like this one, and it's also nicely mixed into some decent management-style gameplay, which I could see myself casually playing on its own.

youtube.com

Shift_Z

YouTube video by Andrew Arcadi - Topic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

This was actually back in June, but I didn't get around to uploading it until now #ShinryuVictory #FourJobFiesta

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Fiesta done! (SUM/BER/DNC/BLU) Didn't have a lot of interactivity between the jobs, other than Sword Dance with a Rune Axe is pretty strong! Everyone else just had Equip Ribbons on, which basically trivialized NED. After a little setup, spam Syldra/Aeroga to victory, basically.

Completion of a Final Fantasy 5 Four Job Fiesta with a Berserker, Dancer, Summoner, and Blue Mage

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

How many XIV players would be mad in a "what do you mean you saved the world from a cosmic threat *without* me??" 😆

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

All but two, but 8/10 is still good!

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Really great to hang out with these folks over the past few days, with whom I've been playing FFXIV for the last few years. I'm glad we were able to make this work at Momocon this year!

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

11. Pragmata: youtu.be/SYW9gmU322M Combat is really engaging in a "multitasking brain" way, and I do enjoy playing in overdrive. I've always had a soft spot for father/adopted daughter stories, and both Menkin/Saif did a great job as Hugh/Diana. I knew from the start there'd be tears. GOTY for me

youtube.com

Shelter – Yasumasa Kitagawa | PRAGMATA Original Soundtrack (Track 07)

YouTube video by Transformer OP

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I do recognize the benefits, I guess I'm more of the perspective that the cost will be that said redundancy will get worse. I think we're just looking at the problem from different angles, and that's cool. I don't really want to drag out the point, but it was good chatting.

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Also, we already lose interesting mechanics (mainly in Alliance Raids) to over-ilvl, I feel like we'd just end up losing more in a similar way, and that's a shame

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

If that works for WoW, then great. I just don't think the solution is as simple as "just shrink the numbers." I fully empathize with how dull it feels to work with a partial kit, but I think there is still a balance to be made to prevent players from feeling like they're not really contributing.

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Not your full rotation, sure, but especially for players who are new to gaming or MMOs, there are those who need to learn the habits of "pressing 1 and then 2". Gotta learn your piano scales before playing a sonatina, or thereabouts

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I'm not sure how the balancing on this would work. Either: The potency is reduced to deal damage at the same rate, which means they have to do more work to deal the same damage, or It's reduced, but still significantly better, which takes away a newer player's chances to practice their rotations

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Well, if you've done the chocobo chick sidequestline in Tailfeather....

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

10: Assemble with Care: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkTA... Light puzzles, cozy atmosphere. The controls are a little clunky at times, but it's easy enough to work with. We could all use more games that can be done from start to finish in an afternoon!

youtube.com

Starting Again

YouTube video by Thomas Williams - Topic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

I couldn't say no to buying those LINE stickers! (hopefully there'll be more sets as more characters are added)

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

9: Disco Elysium: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMIE... What a fascinating application of a TTRPG system. Certainly earned its accolades. Also, only half as long as I expected going in, so I'm already back in for a Hardcore run. More RPGs could use narratively interesting consequences for failure!

youtube.com

Whirling In Rags 8 PM - Disco Elysium Soundtrack

YouTube video by The Raging K

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

I was definitely starting to struggle around 0.005, but this was a neat, probably one-time exercise. www.keithcirkel.co.uk/whats-my-jnd...

Results for a What's My ΔE(OK) JND? by Keith Cirkel. The score is 0.0034

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

8. CiniCross: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG-y... An engaging take on nonograms, as a roguelite, using time pressure as the difficulty mechanic. It could still use some minor updates around some item descriptions and difficulty balancing, but it's great for challenging yourself through logic puzzles!

youtube.com

CiniCross - Release Date Trailer

YouTube video by Hydrobates

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Jalapenos are a normal part of any balanced breakfast Kickstart your metabolism for the day (I'm not a nutritionist, I don't know how that all works)

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

7. Look Outside: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDX... I heard about this on a podcast, and it's a great little horror RPG. There's a lot that you can dive into, and it's quite well constructed: there's a good amount of tension, mixed with curiosity. Might be one I replay on a harder difficulty someday.

youtube.com

Look Outside OST - Safe Place

YouTube video by GLACIAL GAMING

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

6. RV There Yet?: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2CN... I occasionally play "campaign"-style social games with one of my friend groups, though sometimes it's really just me and one other person constantly herding cats. 😂 The physics were occasionally janky, but that chaos only really added to the fun!

youtube.com

Relax Embrace

YouTube video by Ghostwood Empire - Topic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

5. Bad End Theater: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzT2... I don't remember how I stumbled on this, and it's coincidentally appropriate for Valentine's Day, lol A fun bite-sized take on visual novels!

youtube.com

MAIDEN song - [ BAD END THEATER OST ]

YouTube video by NomnomNami

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

4. Fate/Samurai Remnant: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av6e... The global F/GO & F/SR collab reminded me of this. A nice adaptation of Musou into Fate, but the Switch performance is pretty bad, unfortunately. I did enjoy the journey to the 1st ending, but I still have a ways to reach the "True Ending."

youtube.com

花、行き交いて

YouTube video by Release - Topic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

3. Vanguard Bandits: www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9gu... As part of an exchange with a friend, I agreed to play through Vanguard Bandits (or Epica Stella). It's got that early-2000s anime charm, and while the tactics system is relatively simple, there's a decent amount of depth for casual play.

youtube.com

Vanguard Bandits (Epica Stella) 11 - Climbing a Hill

YouTube video by XFireXEmblemXFanX

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

2. Paradise Killer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBZm... I'd been curious about this one for a while. I knew was that it was an investigative game, but I didn't know how interesting the setting was really going to be. I don't know how it'd work narratively, but I'd love another game with Lady Love Dies.

youtube.com

Paradise (Stay Forever)

YouTube video by Epoch - Topic

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

1. StarCraft II: www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_1U... I've gone back to max out all of the co-op commanders, prestiges included, and it's finally done. Co-op was always my preferred playmode, since it requires being engaged, but isn't overly stressful most of the time. An easy way to fill 20-30 minutes.

youtube.com

StarCraft II - Wings of Liberty Main Theme

YouTube video by HowToCarry

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Stealing an idea of posting games that I'm playing this year. Besides Final Fantasy XIV and Warframe, which continue to be mainstays anyway.

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

It's been about a year since I started collecting Eeveelution cards, which has been a fun way to enter the local community, and has made for some fun mini-adventures! In that year, I've collected 135 out of 398 cards, so a little over a third!

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Maybe I'm just imagining it, maybe I just need to switch up the shampoo/conditioner I use. Maybe it's a long-suppressed fear made manifest 😅

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

I have finally hit that point of my life where I am concerned about my hair thinning out. :/

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Final setup: Bartz: Monk / Equip Swords (Brave Blade) Lenna: Summoner / Equip Shields (Aegis Shield) Faris: Knight / Two-Handed (Excalibur) Krile: Berserker / !Summon Lv5 (Rune Axe) b/c of Knight, I went Brave Blade (though I gave it to the Monk). Since I avoided running, everyone was about lv40

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Monk / Knight / Berserker / Summoner Unlucky Grand Cross, inflicting berserk then zombifying Bartz, and instant KO on Lenna & Faris. Berserker Krile finished it off though! Monk using !Kick while equipped with the Brave Blade is pretty good, actually

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Excuse me sir, I believe you have forgotten about Resonance of Fate

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

I've been looking forward to running the Worqor Lar Dor EX fight, and it only took two evenings to clear! I'm really glad to have found this group, it's been a ton of fun running the harder content with them. #FFXIV #Dawntrail youtu.be/04h3HE2pTzQ?...

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Didn't grab too many new cards, because one of them was certainly a bit more expensive. The price has been going down though, and I probably would've spent that much opening an ETB or a bunch of packs to get one, so it worked out.

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

Got a Jolteon EX and a cute notepad as a birthday gift from @mightisuggestagame.bsky.social , and somehow got 4 hits in 4 packs! 2 from some JTE packs I won during the PreRelease, and 2 from some PRE I bought a month ago. 2 SIRs down, 7 to go? Maybe I stole some luck from @yunaverse.bsky.social 😅

A Jolteon EX card on an Eeveelution notepad

Some Pokemon cards, including an Espeon EX SIR and an Iono's Bellibolt gold card

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

If the trend continues, I assume Play-Asia will have one in a few months' time

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

Based on the trailer, the backgrounds are certainly higher resolution, but it doesn't seem to have the AI-smoothing effect, at least as far as I can tell, anyway. 🤷

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

I figured the SaGa Frontier 2 remaster was going to be announced soon, but I didn't think it would just get shadowdropped today! I guess that's something to commemorate hitting another prime number 😅 www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyv8...

youtube.com

SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch

YouTube video by Nintendo of America

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

It's been a busy few days at GameStorm, but I still took a little bit of time for card hunting! I didn't expect to find a PokeKyun card, so that feels pretty cool ♥️ I also need to see if there's a card list for these Sanrio cards, so I know how many Pochaccos I'm looking for, lol

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Went to my first Pokemon TCG Pre release event, and somehow went 3-0, which is 3 more than I expected to win today 😅 I'm not looking for any cards in the Journey Together set, but it was still a good time!

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Hao Tran @xelecium.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

One of my LGS got a small restock of the tech sticker collections, so I was finally able to get the last one I needed! I got the Leafeon on release day at a nearby Target, and the Sylveon a few weeks ago at a card show, so it feels nice to have all the promos, even if it got a bit pricey later on.

A Prismatic Evolutions Tech Sticker Collection, Glaceon version

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